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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 7th, 2023–Feb 8th, 2023

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Vancouver Island, East Island, North Island, South Island, West Island.

Amounts and reactivity of our new snow at upper treeline and especially alpine elevations remain uncertain, but the likelihood of lingering wind slab hazards will increase in step with the dry accumulations you encounter on your ascent. Expect new snow to shed eagerly from any steep slopes that see the sun on Wednesday.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Numerous natural wet loose releases were observed on Monday at treeline and below as rain saturated our recent storm snow. Alpine observations are lacking, however with precipitation falling as snow, higher elevations likely experienced some degree of natural avalanche activity during the most recent storm pulse.

Looking forward, the highest elevations of the island where dry snow has accumulated remain a concern for wind slab potential. Cooling temperatures should have by now locked the snowpack in place where precipitation has instead fallen as rain.

Snowpack Summary

20-50 mm of precipitation fell in the region from Monday through Tuesday, faling mostly as rain and heavily favouring the south and west of the island. Above about 1600 m there is some uncertainty about how much dry snow actually materialized from the storm across the island. Is it 15 cm? 40?

The new snow added to (while rain saturated) as much as 70 cm accumulated above 700 m from the previous storm pulse at the end of last week.

All this snow and rain has fallen above a melt-freeze crust. The crust is up to 10 cm thick at lower elevations and tapers to 1 cm thick on shaded or high elevation terrain. Other than a few cm of softer snow recently found immediately below this crust, the remainder of the snowpack is strong and well bonded.

Weather Summary

Tuesday night

Cloudy with easing snowfall bringing a final 5 cm of new snow. Strong southwest winds, easing into the morning. Freezing levels bottoming out at around 700 m.

Wednesday

Clearing in the morning before clouding over again in the afternoon. Trace snow accumulations. Light southwest winds shifting southeast and increasing in the afternoon/evening. Treeline high temperatures around -1 with freezing levels to 1000 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with continuing snowfall from overnight bringing 15-25 mm of precipitation, including overnight snowfall but increasingly falling as rain to about 1200m. Strong to extreme south winds. Treeline high temperatures around 0 with freezing levels rising to 1400 m.

Friday

Cloudy with flurries bringing 5-10 cm of new snow. Strong south winds easing to light northeast. Treeline high temperatures around -1 with freezing levels to 1000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
  • Brief periods of sun could quickly initiate natural avalanche activity.
  • When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.